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BSA Bikes Birmingham

Thanks for putting the pic up Lou. Dont know who was under the coat but was most likely Reg Griffiths Perhpas best leave it at this point as we are getting of the Dandy thread Cheers
 
Re BSA Dandy, BSA Beagle, Raleigh RM's etc., these were AWFUL things! Defunct before they came off the line, they were a nightmare to sort out in the Worklshop as they were abused and built of poor quality, poorly thought out parts. These machines arose from the transitional period in the 50's when mass transport was being sought, but people had little cash to do so. The ubiquitous Motorbike & sidecar, (usually a single cylinder, sidevalve Ariel VB, BSA M series, Panther, or similar, hitched to the Busmar or GIANT Canterbury Carmobile), was still popular but could be costly.
The Japanese were some years off producing the 'Cub' 50cc scooterette, and most Eouropean offerings were 'odd' (Like the French Velomoteur). A lot of Manufacturers went into this market, James & Excelsior in Greet, BSA, Triumph with the TINA T10 Scooter, and DMW and others into Scooters. The Italians soon had the 100cc - 200 cc Scooter market sorted, but our (UK) factories continued up the blind alley with the Dandy and others.
One has to understand the total lack of understanding of the two-wheel user that existed in Armoury Road back then. If you can, read "The Giants of Small Heath" or "Whatever happened to the British Motorcycle Industry". By the time you get to the Dockers and their Champagne lifestyles, funded by "Dirty, smelly, dangerous motorbikes" you can see where the rot had come from. That this total lack of foresight and valuing key personnel still exists in many Industries today is why B'ham is no longer the World leader in manufacturing it once was.

Thus, by the time of the Dandy, the UK was ripe for Alc Issigoniss's Mini. The Riley Elf & Wolesley Hornet, Fiat 500, etc., soon saw off the Sidecar, and it wasn't until the mid 70's that the new Japanese "Superbikes" rejuvenated the stagnating Motorcycle Trade. 40 years on, and the new breed of 'Plastic Rockets' and 'Harley Lookalikes' have repopulated the roads. The 50cc 'Twist & Go' scooters have succeeded where the Dandy failed. The Dandy - Good idea, but lack of design appeal.
 
hat you Ian.? I presume so as you are a Shropshire lad.. I dont know about parts in the Uk at all . There is afirm in Brum that does real good buisness with Bantam parts Cnt think of the name right now but will later I suppose and will let you know. They were in buisness when I worked at BSA in1957 and I beleive they have just grown bigger over the years. I did have some parts left over from my shop days . You can see some Dandy pics if you go back thru the photo stream on Flickr .
I sometimes think I should enquire amongs my old customers who bought Dandys from me and ask them whatever happened to them . Maybe I should get the local paper ti do and article on them and pop in a couple of pics.
From the look of the parts you have showing on Flickr you have a lot of restoring to do . I wish you all the best . with your project . Maybe the one you have just bought is a gower?? Cheers Joe
 
Hey Joe, thanks for your kind words, it sure is a pretty big job but I'm thinking if any other bikes come along I might snap them up and hang on to them for future rebuild projects. If I can get original parts, I have an engineer friend who will replicate bits for me, he has all the latest CNC machines etc so not much he cannot make, even got a lovely lady in our village who makes one off seat covers so all seems positive with it! Regards

Ian (yes it's me on flickr with the BSA dandy group)
 
well done getting a dandy.i loved my red one. never had any probs with it. but i hope the s***head who pinched it did.
now i have a honda 90 cub, but less said about that thing the better lol.
hope you can restore the dandy all the best with it
 
fascinating Inever had heard of or saw a "Beezer", or Dandy, and I went to the 57 "Jamboree", at Sutton park.???????????????paul
 
well done getting a dandy.i loved my red one. never had any probs with it. but i hope the s***head who pinched it did.
now i have a honda 90 cub, but less said about that thing the better lol.
hope you can restore the dandy all the best with it[/QUOTE

Have you ever thought of getting another Dandy Pete?
They look great.
 
Sorry to stray away from the "Dandy" thread but,although I worked on hundreds of "Beagle" cylinder heads in 1963, I never saw one on the road!!
 
I am seriuosly thinking of making an offer for a 1964 Beagle. It is complete and in running order but I have heard that the oil pump was not up to the job of lubricating the essential parts of the engine which led to premature failure of the big-end and the valve gear. I would appreciate any advice.

I can recall regularly seeing one of the BSA testers riding a Bantam Engined Beagle down Hamstead Road and Church Hill Road to Perry Barr. He was probably on his way to Armoury Road. It had the Bantam telescopic front forks and front hub and was a lovely looking machine. `Whatever Happened to the British Motorcycle Industry'? Another potential winner that was laid to rest.

Em
 
I am seriuosly thinking of making an offer for a 1964 Beagle. It is complete and in running order but I have heard that the oil pump was not up to the job of lubricating the essential parts of the engine which led to premature failure of the big-end and the valve gear. I would appreciate any advice.

I can recall regularly seeing one of the BSA testers riding a Bantam Engined Beagle down Hamstead Road and Church Hill Road to Perry Barr. He was probably on his way to Armoury Road. It had the Bantam telescopic front forks and front hub and was a lovely looking machine. `Whatever Happened to the British Motorcycle Industry'? Another potential winner that was laid to rest.

Em
Ask. Mowerman. He. Was. A tester on them
 
Ask. Mowerman. He. Was. A tester on them

Thanks Louis. I have ben told that the factory sent the senior apprentices on a team-building/outward bound treck to Mid Wales in 1962. Each one of them was given a Beagle or Pixie and told to ride them to destruction. They set off in convoy for their destination. By the end of the week some of them were riding two-up, They had achieved all that was asked of them. Management was not pleased.

Pity they had not done something similar a few years earlier with the Dandy. In that instance they let the paying Joe Public test them to destruction. Neither the customer nor the dealerships were amused.


Em
 
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